Rail and frog brace and connector.



BENJIMAN C. HARDIN, OF IIKEVIE'W, COLORADO.

RAIL AND FROG BRACE AND CONNECTOR.

rossana.

Specification ot 'Letters Patent. Application filed February 26, 19l2. Serial No. 680,064.

Patented Dec. 31,19%?,

To all niomz' mag/concern.'

Be it known that I, BENJIMAN C. HARDIN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Pikeview, inthe co-unty of 4El Paso and State of Colorado, have invented 4certain new and useful Improvements in Rail and Frog Braces and Connectors, of which the following is a specification;v

This invention relates to means for conneet-ing and bracing the rails and :Frogs oi railway tracks at crossing and switch points,

the main object ofthe invention being to provide a simple, inexpensive, reliable and ctlicient means forfirmly and securely uniting the partsand preventing displacement of the frog and spreading of the rails.

A further object of the invention'is to provide devices forthe purpose described which is adapted to hold the frog and track rails vand also the guard rails against relative displacement. j

A still further object oitthe inventionis toprovide devices for the purpose described which are adjustable to compensate for wear of the track elements and'forvariations in the gages of tracksand sizes of parts einployed.

The invention consists of the features ot construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accom.l

panying drawing, in whichz Figure 1 is a plan view of the elements of tracks at a' crossingaor switch point and :showing the application of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section through a portion of the same. Fig. 3 is a vert-ical longitudinal section through the parts of one ofthe connect-ingy and bracing devices, showing the' adjustable connection between the same. Fig. 4 is a view ot one of the clips.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and Q designate the main linerails, 3 and 4 the siding or branch linerails, 5 the guard rails, 6 the frog, and 7 the supporting tie of aI railway track structure at a crossing or switch point,v

the anchor or seat plate in any suitable manner, as by means ol bolts or rivets 9.

Arranged between the seat plate and the outer rails l and 4 and` guard rails 5 are bracing devices 10, each comprising a 'pair of sections or members 11 and 12 .These sections or members are in thetorin ci bars or plates, the outer end of the section 11- beiiig extended beneath the adjacent outer track rail and guard rail niulsecuied tothe tie by spikes 113, which pass through notches 14 therein,l which'spikes are arranged to fasten said section lto the tie on the inside and outside of the said rails.' The inner end of the section 12 is arranged to bear against the adjacent end oi the anchor or seat plate 8 and is secured to the tie by` spikes 15, while the outer end 11G o1 said sec? tion 12 'is otl'set upwardly-to overlap the inner end of the section 11 and is providedwith a `longitudinal slot 17. The meeting faces ofthe overlapping portions of said sections 'l1 and l are provided with interlocking ratchet teeth 18 and 19, whereby said sections are adjustably connected with each other to vary the length o'f thebrace, and arendapted to be hold tlrinlyand se curely in'locking en, ra:gement. Bolts 2O pass upward through the member 11 and through the slot 17 inthe part 1G of the member 1Q and are provided with clamping' nuts and washers 21, to h'old 'the two' sec! ltions assembled in adjusted position.

The 'section 11 has riveted or otherwise secured thereto-a clip 22 which is arranged to overhang the inner flange of the base o'l' vthe adjacent guard rail 5 and bcar against the web of said rail, whereby the outer rails 1 and 4 and the contiguous guard ra1ls 5 are firmly 'and securely engaged, thus preventing the bracing devices from having outward shifting movement on the tie, while the spikes 13 and 15 also hold them-'firmly against shifting motion in either direction.

lt will be seen' .trom the foregoing description that the bracing devices bear at their inner ends against the plate 8 to which the frog is fastened, and are secured to thc tie and also arranged beneath the outer rails and engaged with the guard rails"wlicrobi,r the rails are mutually reinforced and tied together, the frog ,prevented from shitting in either-'direction and the guard rails held trom movement relative to the rails` 1 and 4. Hence dis1')lar:en1eiit of he frog or guand rails or spreading ot' the trat-k rails is pie- Gil vented, Wit-hout the necessity of employing costly and cumbersome devices for the purpose. By means of the adjustable connection between the members of each bracing device, said' device may be adjusted as to length to compensate for Wear of the parts or to snit different contingencies of service in the application of the invention to tracks of different gages or those employing rails.

and frogs of dierent sizes and Weights, The invention is thus rendered applicable,

Without variationof construction, to the track structure at crossing or svvitch points of any ordinary type ofl trackvvayto firmly tie and brace 'the track elements. 4

Having thus described the inventiOn,What

I claim as new is tie and the other extending beneath the oiiterl 1,'Tlie combination, with a tie, a frog,

`main and branch rails,'and guard rails, of la chair plate secured to the t-ie 'and frog,

and braces interposed between said plate and outer `rails and resting o'n the tie, each of saidbraces comprising a pair of sections having lapping ends provided With engag ing teeth, onel of said sections bearing against 'the chair plate and secured to the rails and engaging the adjacent guard rail and also secured to the tie, and means for adjustably connecting said sections.

2. The combination, with a tie, a frog, main and branch track rails, and guard rails, of a chair plate secured to the frog and tie,

and braces bearing at their inner ends against said plate and extending attheir outer ends beneath the outer rails, said bracesbeing secured to the'tie and outer rails, each brace comprising lapping sections'provided with interlocking teetli,'the outer one of said sections engaging the adjacent guard rail, and one of said sections having a longitudinal slot, and bolts engaging' the sections and passing throughy said slot andI 'adjust-ably connecting said sections.

3. .The combination',` with a tie, a frog,

' main and branch track rails, and guard rails,`

of a plate arranged beneath thefrog and secured to the tie and to which said frog is attached,.and braces bearing at their inner ends againstI said plate and extending at their outer ends beneath the outer rails, said Ibraces being secured to the tie and outer in presence of two Witnesses.`

BENJIMAN C. HARDIN.

lVitnesses ROBERT P. AITKEN, E. P. MARTIN. 

